


The Start of Something New

by skygirl406



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:27:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23200930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skygirl406/pseuds/skygirl406
Summary: A glimpse into the lives of Lily and James as they get closer to the end of their Hogwarts years and each other.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Kudos: 4





	1. 4th Year

-Lily Evans-  
It had gotten out of hand this time.  
“Just a little longer,” he whispered.  
“Sev, the sun’s coming up,” she complained.  
“Then-they-have-to-come-out.”  
Lily let her tired head fall into her hands. The blanket they were sharing slipped offer her shoulders. She felt Severus pulling it back up again.  
“Thanks,” she said turning to him.  
He smiled weakly and flashed his eyes back at the tree. The Whomping Willow. The exact same Whomping Willow, with the exact same number of branches and leaves, in the exact same place as they had been when they sat down on the hill the night before. In all that time, Severus had not looked away from more than a few seconds.  
“Potter and Black are here somewhere,” he promised.  
“And Peter and Remus,” she pointed out.  
He barely blinked when muttering, “Yeah. Them too.”  
Lily glanced around at the grounds and tried not to yawn. The sky was paling, and the lake was starting to dance with little glimmers of sunlight. It was going to be summer very soon. Her stomach twisted thinking of Petunia and Mr. Snape. She let her head rest on her friend’s shoulder.  
“Why are you so obsessed with Potter anyway? Are you in love with him?” she teased.  
Sev hopped back so fast, the blanket fell off them both.  
“WHATWOULDMAKEYOUSAYTHAT?!”  
“Sev! Shuuuuuuuuushhhhhh!”  
“Sorrry,” he whispered and scooted back up to her again.  
This time, she put the blanket on them.  
“I don’t love him, ‘s everybody else that does,” he grumbled and drew his knees in closer, pulling the blanket to his side.  
“I don’t love him,” she reminded him and pushed him a little with her shoulder. He didn’t seem to notice. He was staring at the tree again. It seemed like a long time since she’d seen him smile honestly or heard him laugh. They used to laugh all the time, about silly muggles and silly wizards. He was one of the few people she knew who understood what it was like to see both sides. Maybe this summer, away from Houses and Quidditch heroes, distractions, they could laugh again.  
“Potter goes around with his weird friends and their pranks, and his hair, and his weird friends –Have I told you my theory!” he interrupted himself.  
“I know your theory about Remus,” she sighed, suddenly counting the days until they could get back on the train.  
He sucked in a deep breath, preparing to tell her the whole thing again anyway.  
“You two waiting for something?” asked the ringing laugh that belonged to the one, the only, James Potter.  
Severus fell over trying to turn around too fast.  
Lily looked around. There was no sign of his friends, a door, or even a rock they could have been hiding behind.  
“Well,” James smirked. “Don’t let me ruin your date.”  
Lily frowned.  
“It’s not a date,” she answered, flatly. Dates were fun. She looked down at her muddy shoes and damp socks. This was not.  
“’snot a – not a date,” Sev mumbled back, rolling up the blanket.  
“Where did you come from then?” she asked.  
James shrugged and motioned back at the castle.  
“We all have our secrets, Evans. Now, shall we scurry on inside before Filch finds out about this one?” He didn’t wait for a response to start up the hill.  
Lily leaned into Severus’ ear.  
“You were right,” she whispered without taking her eyes off Potter’s narrow back. “He’s got something up his sleeve.” 

-James Potter-  
“It’s gone too far this time!” Sirius complained, turning around on the dormitory steps to shoot James a glare. It looked rather dark in the shadowed space. It was a good thing he had led Evans and Snape in first and gone back for the others. There was no way they could have kept quiet enough to follow them under the cloak.  
“He has a point,” Remus sighed, leaning against one of the walls for breath. The stairs were too much for him.  
James ducked under one of his friend’s arms and shouldered some of the burdens.  
“Saving Snivels from Filch!” Sirius went on, ducking under Remus’ other arm. “What’s the matter with you?”  
“Lily Evans,” squeaked Pete from behind.  
“What was that?” James hissed, jerking his head around.  
“He said,” Remus cleared his throat. “Lily. Evans.”  
James laughed, “This again?”  
Lily Evans was collateral. It was her greasy friend he worried about. The kid had eyes like a hawk and the mind of a snake. If he hadn’t interrupted their little date –well, one of these days Little Snivels was going to get the proof he was after.  
James didn’t want it to be today.  
“If she’s letting Snivels drag her out in the middle of the night, she deserves to get caught,” Sirius grumbled, waving his free hand in the air.  
“She’s too smart for him,” Remus agreed.  
James shook his head and followed them into their room. By the time they helped Remus to bed, tucked away the invisibility cloak, and sat down, they had all stopped talking about Lily Evans. Still, when he looked out the window at the brightening sky, he wondered if she would be in charms in a few hours. Evans, too tired to answer questions, he’d hate to miss it…  
He yawned and laid down.  
He’d almost hate to miss it.  
“Lily should be with you, James,” Peter whispered in the dark.  
“She’s Evans, he whispered back. “She’s smart enough to know what she wants.”


	2. 5th Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily's change of heart could change everything.

-James Potter-  
It was not uncommon for James to be woken by one of the Marauders crashing onto his bed. This particular morning, there seemed to be an extra spring in the mattress. Sirius bounced down so hard it sent hm flying out of his blankets.   
“Good morning to you too,” he grumbled, looking up from the floor.   
“Someone’s grumpy,” Sirius pouted. “Maybe I won’t share the wonderful news that’s been circulating out cozy common room this fine morning.”   
A small pang of guilt struck James’ exhausted chest. It was a nice change to see Padfoot excited about something. He’d been moping more and more with the year end in sight. It was as if he was already living in the shadow of the ‘proud and ancient house of Black’.   
“He’s probably tired. He was up all night, glaring at the canopy,” Peter yawned, sitting up in the bed. His hair was almost as messy as untidy as his side of the room. He looked both startled and confused by the surprise waking.   
“I was not!” he lied.   
Sirius flopped down on the mattress.   
“Oh, dark spring night, why was Snivels spotted outside the tower?” he moaned. “Did Lily go to him? Did she ignore him? Would she really rather date a squid? Does she like my hair? Oh, Lily!”   
A pillow hit the drama queen square in the jaw before he could say more. This did not stop him from laughing at his own joke. This prompted James to grab another pillow.   
“Don’t leave us in suspense, Padfoot,” Remus said, plucking the pillow out of James’ hand. “What did you bound in here to report?”   
“Oh, nothing… Just that our dear Evans has finally come to her senses.”   
“What?” James climbed to his feet without really knowing why. “About what?”   
Sirius rolled over and put his head in his hands. He kicked his feet like a teenage girl in one of those Muggle movies. His grin grew wider the longer he kept James waiting.   
“According to the girls, she sword never to speak to Snivelous Snape ever again!”   
There was a great cheer from the other three boys. It was a triumph! They were right and she was wrong.   
“Prongs?” Moony asked when they quieted. They all stared at him. Sirius’ mouth twisted into an almost frown, realizing he hadn’t cheered with them.   
James shook his head and forced a smile.   
“It’s about time!”   
They rushed on without him, celebrating the day. Five years and they came out on top. Even James hadn’t been sworn off by Evens completely. They got ready for breakfast, making up a commemorative song.   
Despite the loud, and often offkey nature of the tune, James barely heard it. He pulled on his robes with only one thing on his mind. The look on Evans’ face when the snake called her that name was burned into James’ mind forever.   
They all knew why it had happened. He was upside down and helpless, having to be rescued again by a girl. A prickle ran up and down James’ spine. If he were ever in such a spot –which he was always too clever to be, he would be thrilled if someone as smart and powerful as Evans stepped up for him. The surge of anger faded, quelled by the undeniable truth: if he had not picked on Severus Snape that afternoon, Lily Evans would still have her best friend.   
No matter how sniveling nor evil said friend may be, this was his fault.   
It was true that he spent most of the night thinking about what Lily would do when she found out that her pet Slytherin was planning to sleep outside the tower. He even had the lovely thought that the git might go through with it and freeze to death in a sudden cold snap.   
James knew the whole time that what was most likely to happen was Evans tromping down the stairs to glare at Snape. He would look back at her with those big watery eyes, and that would be that. She would forgive him, excuse him, and everything would start all over again.   
But James Potter had one fear, one, and last night was the closest it had ever come to being real. Severus Snape was in love with Lily Evans, and it was the only thing James understood about the guy. It felt inevitable that one day, Severus was going to realize what he was risking with all this Death Eater idiocy and tell Lily how he felt. Last night seemed like a good time, after all, he was desperate and alone.   
James Potter lived in fear that Lily Evans loved Severus Snape back. So, he hadn’t slept at all the night before. Of course, what had actually transpired was even less believable.   
He hurried down to breakfast with the others but spent most of the meal craning his neck to try and search the table for red hair. He saw some, but not hers.   
In class she was missing as well. His chest tightened with every passing hour. They had exams soon. Evans once came to class with her hair on fire. It wasn’t real fire – one of his cooler ideas. He smiled at the memory, but it quickly faded when he walked into Transfiguration to find her usual seat empty again.   
The Slytherins walked in and took their seats as well. Severus Snape was noticeably absent as well. James thought he might throw up.   
“Let’s get some air,” Remus suggested on their way out. “You look a little green.”   
They all walked out onto the grounds. Students were everywhere, enjoying the turn in the weather. The Marauders around him had calmed considerably since breakfast. Evans absence and his own angst seemed to have killed the mood. Besides, by now, the school was talking about something else. They had to be.   
“Hey Potter!” someone shouted, he recognized the boy from the Ravenclaw team. “Got any tips on how to not ask Lily Evans out? I was thinking if she dumped Severus, she’s fair game, right?”   
“Did you talk to her?” a girl asked. “Did you tell her to do it?”   
Of course, he’d been wrong before.   
He started to correct them both when something crashed hard into his shoulder, grabbed him by the arm and started pulling.   
“Evans?” he half laughed, shocked and relieved to have her red hair blown in his face.   
She let go and flashed him a crazed smile.   
“Lets go for a swim,” she said and took off down the hill.   
“What?”   
“Coming Potter?” she called. “Or are you scared?”   
“Are you okay?” he asked, jogging to keep up.   
“First one to the giant squid wins!” she said, throwing off the cloak she had on.   
“No. No you’re not,” he concluded, and chased after her. “Evans!”   
She stopped with one foot in the water and a hand on her hip.   
“I just stopped talking to my oldest friend in the world. So, no. Potter, I’m not,” she said and stiped off her shirt. “So, do something risky and thoughtless to distract me. It’s the one thing you’re good for.”   
James took a step back.   
“Well,” he answered quietly. “I guess this is a wake-up call for both of us.” After a moment of silence, he turned and walked back up the hill. 

-Lily Evans-  
Lily rolled over in her sleep and a very warm rush of air covered her face. Her eyes slowly peeled open and she tried to make sense of what was in front of her. An odd shape… strangely pointed… then it came into focus. She was face-to-face with a stag!   
“Ah!” she tried to yell, but before she could, a hand covered her mouth and she was staring into the brown eyes of James Potter.  
“It’s me,” he whispered. “Sorry.”   
“What are you –” she started, head clearing. “This is a girls room!”   
He smiled sheepishly, “The enchantments didn’t seem to care so long as I wasn’t a human boy.”   
“That’s not particularly comforting,” she mumbled back studying him. Somehow, it felt like she was seeing him again for the first time.   
“You still want to go for that swim?”   
She tilted her head and smiled even when a waterfall of hair fell over her eyes.   
“Yes… deer,” she snickered, unable to hide how funny her sleepy mind thought the pun was.   
He smiled back and suddenly there was deer in front of her again. The creature bowed his head toward her. She climbed out of bed.   
Lily Evans riding a stag down the stairs was one of the stranger things to happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Still, it didn’t last long. James set her down just off the last step. Alone in the abandoned common room, he changed back into the wild haired boy she recognized.   
“Does it hurt?” she asked.   
James walked over to the corner of the room before answered, “Not if you’re really really good at it.” He pulled a bundle of cloth out from beside one of the armchairs. He let it roll down to the floor and looked up at her. The mischievous spark in his eyes caught the moonlight.   
“James?”   
He swooped the cloak in front of him and –disappeared.   
Lily’s mouth fell open.   
James’ hand extended from thin air, then his head popped out too.   
“Don’t worry, it’s safe,” he said and she took his disembodied fingers in hers. He pulled er under and they started walking toward the portrait hole. She ran her fingers over the inside of the cloth.   
“This is how you do it then?” she asked.   
“Do what?”   
“Everything.”   
He leaned in a little closer.   
“Yeah, Lily, it is,” he admitted. The tone in his voice had changed. It was the way he sounded when he cast a difficult spell. No pretense, no show, just James.   
They managed to sneak through to the stairs and down into one of the main halls. She took one step toward the doors, but James pulled the cloak around them in the other direction. His lips pulled into another little smile.   
“Do you really think I use the front door, Evans?” he teased.   
She really should have known better.   
“This way.”   
He led her behind one of the old statues and out through a little hall. It grew colder and colder the further they went, but they stayed far apart under the fabric. He could have told her to bring a coat, she thought, but she was having a hard time being as angry with him as usual. Something about this was different. Maybe it was the ungodly hour.   
She knew where they were themoment the world opened back up. They were out on a hill close to the Whomping Willow. The hill next to the one she waited with Sev on only a year ago. It felt like a lifetime since they sat in the cold, waiting for James Potter to mess up. She swore she’d find out how he did it, but there he was, showing her all his secrets. All to touch a giant squid?  
She might have offered skinny dipping sooner if she knew it was going to be this effective. It would have saved them all some time, especially Severus. She looked back at the castle.   
“In the spirit of transparency, I have no intentions of jumping in the lake in the middle of the night,” James whispered, pulling the cloak off them. “Contrary to popular belief, I don’t actually have a death wish.”   
He jogged down toward the lake despite this. At the last moment, he turned in the other direction. She followed close behind him down toward the Quidditch pitch. He only stopped once he was on the field.   
“Then what are we doing?” she asked when she finally caught up.   
“Wait for it,” he said and pointed at the sky.   
One little star streaked across the night sky. Then two. Three. Hundreds.   
“The meteor shower,” she breathed. They tracked it in class, but it wasn’t supposed to happen for another week. No one was supposed to be in school anymore. She would be back in the city with all the lights and not enough stars. “How?”   
James shrugged.   
“You said you needed a distraction,” he said as if that somehow explained how even the sky had fallen for his charms. He walked over to a blanket in the middle of the pitch. She shot him a look.   
He put his hands up in surrender.   
“It’s for you,” Just find be back in the hall so we can get back before –”   
“Don’t be stupid,” she sighed. “I’m not waiting out here to get caught alone.” But when she turned around, he was already walking out. James Potter walking away from her twice in one day. No one would believe it. She kind of hated it.   
“James!”   
He turned.   
She rolled her eyes, sat down, and patted the ground beside her.   
His smile lit up the pitch even after the stars stopped shooting across the sky. It never faded. That was James. The undiminished light. She caught herself smiling back, and not for the first time.   
“What?” he asked when she shook her head.  
“Just wondering what it is like to be you,” she said.   
He laughed, “A toe rag?”   
She laughed back. It was an easy sort of thing. The last time she laughed like that… did she even remember?  
“Yes, Potter. What is that like?” she asked. His face changed.   
“Lonely,” he admitted. “I feel like I’m the only one who can make things okay for my friends and they all go home for the holiday. I’m alone at home and my parents are only getting older.”   
He looked a little surprised at himself for saying so much. She reached out for his hand and opened her mouth to ask more. He pulled away.  
“But you have your sister at home, right?”  
She snorted.  
“What?”   
“We don’t – she doesn’t like me very much,” she tried to make her voice even, but it was so late, and she was running on nearly no sleep for two nights. “She calls me a freak.”   
James sat up. His eyes trained on her in a way they hadn’t all night. She got the feeling he’d been avoiding it before. A crease appeared over his eyebrows.   
“Evans,” he breathed. “You don’t believe that?”   
“She’s Evans too technically,” she scoffed, trying to throw off the seriousness.   
“Lily,” he said, sitting back to give her space. “You are the most amazing witch I know.”   
“It makes it hard to go home,” she hadn’t told anyone that before. “I know you don’t like Sev, but at least –at least he was like me. Now –he thinks – like her—”   
“Severus doesn’t think you’re a freak Lily, he cares about you,” he said using that serious spell voice again. “It’s the only decent thing about him.”   
Lily shook her head.   
“I –I used to think he was just doing all that to fit in, but now I’m starting to think he believes it,” she said. “And I can’t –I don’t want to be around that.”   
James nods.  
“That’s your choice,” he said.   
She laughed, “It doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for anything.”   
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Evans,” he said and leaned back.   
“So… Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs,” she mused, leaning over so she could rest against him. “Are you all animagi?”   
She watched him push his lips together like he was trying to force them shut.   
“That’s some really advanced magic,” she said.   
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” he teased and ran a hand through his hair.   
She laughed and they spent the night like that, trading secrets and jokes until the sun hit the tops of the goal posts.


	3. 6th Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How much will having Snape out of the picture really help James? (with special guest POV Remus Lupin)

-Lily Evans-  
“It feels like cheating,” Marlene mumbled as they walked into the Great Hall. The smell of bacon and success was in the air. The tables were crowded. Everyone was up early with the promise of Quidditch.   
“Don’t be silly,” Lily assured her, spotting the target. “I’ll see you at the match.”   
“But—”   
She caught a glimpse of Severus out the corner of her eye. He was trying hard not to look back at her. A dull pang shot through her chest.   
Marlene tried to see where she was looking.   
“Slytherin’s going down,” she finished with a wink and turned back to the Gryffindor table.   
Peter Pettigrew nearly fell over when she sat down next to him.   
“Morning,” she said cheerily and grabbed a glass of cider.  
“Well, welcome back Evans,” crooned James, leaning over the table between them. “Here to wish me luck?” He had on the usual sweater, already wearing his team robes over it. His hair looked as windswept as ever. She even noted the way the sleeves of his sweater hugged his arms a little tighter than last year.   
“In your dreams, Potter,” she sighed and started to pile food onto her plate.   
“She’s right,” he corrected. “I don’t need it.”   
She frowned.   
“That’s not what I –Remus aren’t you eating?”   
“I’m not feeling well,” he started to protest. She wanted to know more, but Sirius leaned over the table and stuck his fork between them. He waved it around a little to make sure she saw it.   
“Evans, did you really bring a bag full of mousetraps with you this year?” he asked.   
Peter made a strange strangled sound.   
She caught James’ eyes. He raised an amused eyebrow.   
“That is none of your business,” she started to say.   
The mail swooped in.   
“Duck,” joked Sirius just before something hit him in the nose.   
Lily caught a parcel just before it landed on her eggs.   
“Anything good?” James asked, ripping open his own letter. He handed on of two pieces to paper inside to Sirius.   
“Finally got your matching criminal records?”   
“Mum is letting us know what the plan is for the holiday,” James explained.   
Lily looked back and forth between them.   
“Sirius lives with the Potters now,” Remus explained.   
“Oh?” she looked at Sirius for more, but he was studying his bacon. She’d never seen him look so mad in the direction of meat.   
“Wow, those look good!” James lunged across the table at her tin of biscuits, breaking her train of thought. She raised her hand to swat him away. Then she remembered what day it was.   
“Mum made them, want one?” she handed the little box over to him.   
He took two.   
“One for the road,” he explained with a wink. “See you all at the victory party!” He clapped one hand on Sirius’ shoulder before getting up.   
Lily watched him go. She let him get a little further away than usual. You could tell because he slowed, waiting for it.   
“And Potter,” she called after him. “Good luck!”   
He pushed his hair back and strode away, grinning wildly.   
Lily shook her head and reached for another bit of toast. When she looked up, Sirius was studying her. He was frowning deeply.   
“What?”   
“You only sit with us on game days,” he answered flatly.   
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said and hid her growing smile in another bite of toast.

-James Potter-  
Defense Against the Dark Arts was starting to feel less and less like a class. James hated to admit it, but even he didn’t complain about the homework anymore. Everyone was practicing shields and defensive spells in their downtime. Walking into the classroom felt like shrugging off a cloak. There was a seriousness to it now. It wasn’t about what they were learning. It was about when they would have to use it.   
Most lessons he spent helping others, or Pete, get right. He, Sirius, and Moony could handle anything the professor threw at them. After all, they were going to take down Voldemort and his little band when they finally got out of this place, but today’s lesson was special. How to produce Patronus.   
“Prongs,” Sirius grumbled from somewhere very far away. “It’s your turn. James?”   
“Give me a minute,” he said, swatting his friend away while he tried to find her across the room.   
“What’s he looking at?” Peter asked from the same place.   
“Lily is about to try hers,” Remus whispered.   
“Expecto Patronum!”   
The light leaped from her wand. It galloped out and looked around, a beautiful doe.   
“Prongs,” Peter started to gasp.   
Sirius and Remus each clapped a hand quickly over their friends’ big mouth. James was too shocked to notice.   
Floating in front of him on four legs was empirical evidence that he and Lily Evans belonged together.   
He swore then to keep it to himself. He turned back to his friends. They exchanged unsure looks. Well, himself, Moony, Wormtail, and Padfoot.

-Remus Lupin-  
“I can’t believe Potter,” she laughed. “Did you see the look on his face!”   
“I saw it,” Remus whispered mostly to himself. “I wasn’t sure you did.”   
“All that bragging, and he couldn’t even produce a little shield!”   
“He probably got nervous,” Remus whispered, trying to bury the conversation. He only really spent time with Lily when they were on perfect duty together, but he was starting to get the feeling she talked about James more than he talked about her. Between that and the Patronus, Remus was really starting to hop on James’ destiny train.   
“Oh, don’t spoil it,” she said. “He’s been horrible to you since you got that badge. Enjoy the moment!”   
She was practically dancing down the hall.   
Moony stopped dead in his tracks.   
“You really shouldn’t talk about people like that,” he said shifting in his robes and tried not to meet her eyes.   
“Hey!”   
“You give him so much trouble for all that, and he’s never said a bad word about you!” It was hard to keep it to himself, how much he could see when James looked at her. Moony loved all his friends, but if it wasn’t for James Potter, he wasn’t sure he’d have any of them. James was their mastermind, their linchpin. He was the beating heart of the Marauders. More than that, he was a good person.   
“He’s an idiot,” she scoffed.   
“James is not an idiot! He’s –” he tried to calm himself. Closer to the full moon, the more agitated he became. He didn’t want to yell. “He’s my friend.   
He sank down, ducking his head into his arms. The shivers had started. He hated it, all the fear that came with this –his disease. Lily sat down next to him and said nothing. She just waited for it to pass.   
“If I know anything about James Potter,” she grumbled like she hated to say it. “I know he never lets down his friends.”   
“Lily,” he said, trying to breathe normally. “I want to tell you something.”   
She put her hand on his shoulder and locked her eyes with his.   
“Remus, you don’t have to tell me.”   
“But it’s just… I think –I think I can trust you,” he started, but she cut him off again.   
“You can, but Remus. I figured it out for myself.”   
Patronus or no, she was too smart for James. He half-smiled. In some way, he’d guessed she knew. She was so kind, but that was Lily, a gentle mirror of James’ loud generosity.   
“James’ Patronus is a stag!” he blurted out because she was still staring at him.   
“Wait –what?” Lily jumped up like he’d set her robes on fire.   
He smiled a real smile now.   
“Not what you thought I was going to say?” he laughed.   
“No, not exactly,” she answered and settled back down.   
“How long have you known?” he asked and then he had to know. “Does Severus know?”   
“He has suspicions,” she said and shook her head. “He’s not good with other people’s feelings. He really hurt my sister once.” 

-James Potter-  
James heard the words before he saw anything. Wand lighting the way, he ran towards the voices as fast as he could. The cruelty of the sentence rang in his ears.   
“Even your own mother doesn’t want you,” Snape had hissed.  
James pushed himself, but by the time he reached the argument, there was only one side left.   
Sirius was standing alone. Despite the full moon, sharp shadows carved up his face. Still, James could see his friend’s mouth was wide and curved into a wolfish smile. He let out a laugh, but it was a hollow, mad sound. His eyes were trained on something below.   
Further down the path, a lanky figure was running away from the castle. James watched Severus run off the path and toward the – toward the Whomping Willow. The gravity of the situation snapped into focus and he took his eyes off the path. He grabbed Sirius by the shoulders and shook him.   
“What did you do?” he demanded.   
“Gave the miserable git what he wanted,” Sirius laughed is sounded more forced with every syllable.  
James pushed past him before he had fully stopped.   
“What are you doing?” Sirius called after him.   
“Stopping you form making Moony a murderer!”   
James raced back through the dark, familiar tunnel and dove under Snape’s arm. He turned around and made himself a wall. Arms braced against the rock, he wasn’t going anywhere.   
“Potter!” Snape hissed.   
“You can’t go up there,” he panted. “Don’t.”   
Someone started screaming.   
Moony.   
“Please, don’t.”   
“Forget something?” Snape sneered, raising his wand.   
James reached for his. It wasn’t there. Behind them, the scream had turned into a howl. The sound snapped Snape out of his smile.   
“Normally, this would be fun, but I’ve got something to do tonight.” He grabbed James’ sleeve. "Out of the way, Potter."   
He didn’t budge.   
"You win, Severus.”  
Snape froze.   
"You're right," he repeated still panting. "Remus is a werewolf. He has been the whole time, and if you go up there, you'll die."  
Snape laughed, and other than the echo against the walls, it sounded just like Sirius.   
“When I report this, I’ll only have three blood traitors to get kicked out of here,” Snape said starting to back out of the tunnel. James was ready with an answer.   
“What about the mudbloods?” he said slowly, emphasizing the last.   
Snape’s shoulders rose under his long greasy hair, but he said nothing, only kept walking.   
“She’d forgive you, if you asked.”  
He slowed.   
“I have begged her, Potter. You know nothing about it… she… it’s complicated.”  
“No, you have to – like- actually mean it, just…” James let out a sigh and leaned back against one  
of the walls, raking one hand through his hair. “You’re like me last year, remember that? Let me make it easy on you.”  
“I’m nothing like you.”  
“Oh yeah?” James’ smile was felt softer than usual. “Begging her to hang out with you, despite her insistence that she doesn’t want to. She keeps telling you no, and she’s got all these reasons, but ”  
Snape turned to glare back over his shoulder. He opened his mouth to argue. James continued anyway.   
“Let me guess – it’s just that she doesn’t understand. You’re not the bad guy. If she’d just give you a chance?”  
“Shut up Potter,” Snape said. He had completely stopped now. Remus’ screams at the end of the hall had stopped too.   
“Don’t worry. It doesn’t change anything between us,” James promised and flipped his hair like the arrogant Gryffindor Snape wanted him to be. “You’re still a git. I’m still awesome.”  
Severus sneered.  
That made him feel a little bit better. And it made Snape look more normal. More himself.  
His contentment didn’t last long.  
Snape had one last sneer to make.   
“Maybe your right, James. Maybe we are alike. So how long do you think you can go before she changes her mind about defending you too?”  
James shook his head and pushed Snape toward the exit. He couldn’t shake the thought that had not taken root. Could Evans grow out of him if she’d never grown into him? 

-Lily Evans-  
“Lily, Lily!” he chased after her. “Lily!”   
“What,” she answered, only partly aware that is was the most she’d said to him in nearly a year.   
“I know, I know, but I had to tell you,” Severus panted. “I was right. I was right the whole time about Lupin. He’s a –”   
“Werewolf,” she cut him off. She stopped in the courtyard. Other students were filing out of class. She waved over Marlene so she’d have an out.   
“Wait. You know! How do you know?”   
“The clues were there. I believed you. I just didn’t want to ruin his – wait. How do you know?”   
“I -I.”   
She turned her wand on him.   
“Spit it out Sev.”  
#  
Lily punched Serious Black square in the jaw.   
“You son of a bitch!”   
He held his bleeding nose and looked up at her. “Careful, that’s what got Snivellus into it…”   
“Lily stop!” Remus grabbed her arm. “He didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt.”   
“Yes. He did.”   
“It’s all right, please, Lily.”   
“Stop making excuses for them.” She frowned and looked away. Across the yard, James was dashing over, still fully clad in his quidditch gear. A devious grin pulled up the corner of her mouth. “Remus, when’s the next match?”   
“Tomorrow, you know that.”   
She turned back to Black.   
“Do I?”   
The realization hit his face. Remorse finally entered his eyes. “NO!”   
“It’s a shame I accidentally set that time aside to study. Guess I won’t be going.”   
“Lily, no. Pleeeeeaaaasse no. I’ll do anything.” Black jumped up from the floor. “I’ll do your homework. I’ll eat your homework.”   
She started to go.   
“Lily, there is something else,” whispered Remus quickly, turning her away from the others. “James was the one who told him.”   
“What James?”   
“James Potter. He stopped Severus from finding out on his own the hard way.” Remus looked down at his hands. “He probably saved his life.”   
“Hey, you didn’t do anything,” she whispered and put one of her hands on his.   
“Whoa what’s going on here?” rang Potter’s laugh. “Hey, Evens! Excited about the game tomorrow?”   
Moony pulled back as fast as humanly possible.   
“I’m not sure I’ll make it,” she said and picked up her things. “See you all on Monday.”   
“No,” breathed Black.   
“Monday?” asked Potter.   
“Ahhhhrrrrrg,” shouted Peter.   
“Bye Lily,” sighed Remus, already far too resigned to their fate. 

-James Potter-  
He looked at her again. Thank god for her red hair that was so easy to spot even from far away. The gameday jitters pulsed through his veins, but it was nothing compared to the flips his stomach was doing. Had she given up on him already?   
This time, it wasn’t even his fault.   
“She’s not even sitting with us,” sighed Peter gloomily.   
“I can’t believe you ruined this for me!” James pointed some bacon at Serious.   
“You?” Black motioned up and down the table. “We’re all going to lose.”   
James threw the bacon at his friend’s head.   
“This is the one thing I do, she actually likes!”   
At least all the arguing got a laugh out of Moony who had been quietly picking at his food all morning. 

-Lily Evans-  
Monday morning, Black was standing at the end of the hall with his hands on his hips.   
“We. Lost.” He said.   
“So?” Lily asked, shifting her books around in her arms. She hardly stopped to talk to him. She had other things in her life besides boys. Classes wouldn’t wait for teenage drama.   
“So, it’s your fault,” Sirius argued.   
“I’m not on the team,” she reminded him.   
“You put James off his game! What did he ever to do you?” he shouted after her.   
She stopped and narrowed her eyes. Class could wait for this. She was, after all, a redhead. Nature could only be reined in, never denied.   
“Harass other students,” she growled. “You are both horrible and you deserve to lose. Frankly, Remus is too good for either of you.”   
She turned and started to flounce away, leaving Black with his mouth hanging open. She looked back at the stumpy boy next to him. “And I’m not sure about you yet, Pettigrew.”   
“That’s the nicest thing she’s ever said about me.” Pete squeaked.   
“Bet she’s still got those mouse traps though,” she heard Black point out. 

-James Potter-  
Thanks to Professor McGonigal, James was more focused for the next match. Too much daydreaming in what was typically his best subject, led to a stern talking to about his priorities. So whether Lily Evans sat with him at breakfast, which she hadn’t, or came to watch at all, he was not going to throw him off. He did not need to worry about it. He had other priorities.   
James zoomed past the other seeker. Gryffindor was going to win. Nothing could stop them now.   
Then the Slytherin Beater flew through the stands. Something knocked over the side. Something large with two perfectly good legs, flailing arms, and long red hair.   
Lily Evens was free falling.   
Winning was going to have to wait. He shot over to her, but she was getting close to the ground. Better her than me.   
He jumped over the end of his broom and crashed onto the ground before she could. How her landing went, he never knew. A cloud of dirt and darkness covered the once-great Quidditch hero as he passed out.   
#  
“Hey! Potter!” she shouted. She always sounded so mean when she did that. Then she spoke again, softer – worried. “James?”   
He made a little flutter with his eyelashes and caught his first glimpse of her face blocking out the sun.   
“I’m alive then?”   
“Seems like,” she sighed.   
“Good, I had planned on living forever,” he grunted. Something was stabbing his stomach… might have been a rib.   
Somewhere in the distance, a voice announced that Slytherin had the snitch, but Evans ran a finger over his forehead pushing away a little bit of hair.  
“The Immortal James Potter," she whispered.   
He could hardly believe his luck.


End file.
